Building networks of change in the Western Balkans : looking back, moving forward

Abstract

For a region like the Western Balkans, where borders are still ‘existential’, cross-border networks function like agents of change by helping to redefine what is near and what is remote, what lies inside and what outside. Building on the integrative and transformative potential of networks, the EU has invested significant resources in improving the connectivity of the region. However, the connectivity infrastructure gap in the Western Balkans persists, leaving room for scepticism about the efficiency of infrastructure financing and building in the region. The paper looks into the reasons explaining this gap and points to the adverse impact of infrastructure politics on the efficient use of the existing resources. Against this background, it suggests a set of policy measures structured around three pillars: (i) capacity building as a barrier to the misuse of infrastructure as a political tool, (ii) infrastructure financing tailored to specific needs and connected to the removal of non-physical barriers, and (iii) enhancing the resilience of infrastructure networks.